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Amonimus (Sergeant)
2024-09-21 14:58:36

I don't understand the problem or if there are any suggestions. If a work is niche, one should be glad they get any publicity at all, and sometimes that's enough. If the info is outdated, then if not yourself then work pages getting updated depends entirely on user traffic pipeline.

Edited by Amonimus TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
UzarNaimBer15 Since: Jan, 2020
2024-09-21 15:08:57

^ I get where you're coming from. It's true that any exposure for a niche work is better than none. My concern isn't so much about niche works getting some attention (which is great), but more about the pages for these works getting left in an incomplete or outdated state for long periods of time.

The issue is that pages marked as needing tropes or wiki magic often go untouched for years, despite being listed for potential updates. While it's totally understandable that not every page can be updated instantly (especially with so many niche works out there), the problem is that many of these pages seem to fall into a kind of limbo.

It's not about forcing people to update pages but finding ways to encourage collaboration and attention for the ones that might otherwise be left behind.

Eat your vege-tables (┳━┳) and drink sum milk
Amonimus (Sergeant)
2024-09-21 15:19:17

I mean, either force or hope someone feels like a workaholic. We are understaffed with every project on the wiki, so there's nothing that can be done.

TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
UzarNaimBer15 Since: Jan, 2020
2024-09-21 15:32:18

^ I understand that the wiki is understaffed and that not every project can get the attention it needs. It’s definitely a challenge.

My intention isn’t to force anyone into updating pages; I just believe there might be ways to facilitate collaboration among users who are interested in specific niche works. While it's true we can’t rely solely on "workaholics" to keep things moving, maybe creating a space for those who want to contribute could help connect interested users with pages that need attention.

Even small efforts can make a big difference, especially if we can encourage more people to participate in updating and maintaining these pages.

Eat your vege-tables (┳━┳) and drink sum milk
WarJay77 (Troper Knight)
2024-09-21 15:45:41

I mean, it's up to the people who like the work to update it. I'm not sure how you expect people to update and maintain pages for works they aren't familiar with. The issue with these niche works is exactly that — they have a smaller fanbase and less people on the wiki who can help add tropes. It's not so much an issue of "wiki culture" as it is just kind of the inevitable.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
UzarNaimBer15 Since: Jan, 2020
2024-09-21 15:55:37

^ I completely understand that it's ultimately up to fans of a work to maintain its pages, and you're right that niche works often come with smaller fanbases.

My concern isn't so much about expecting people unfamiliar with a work to contribute, but rather about how we might encourage those who are fans to get involved. I believe that fostering a sense of community around these niche works could help draw in more contributors.

Creating a dedicated space for discussions or collaborations could help connect fans with the pages that need attention, making it easier for them to engage. It's about finding ways to support the interests of the existing fanbase rather than relying solely on chance.

Eat your vege-tables (┳━┳) and drink sum milk
desdendelle (Sergeant)
2024-09-22 05:55:23

If people want to talk about a work, they can open a thread in the forums. If people want to edit the work's page(s), they can use the search button.

And, numberswise, if a work is niche then probably the reason its page(s) doesn't see much action is because the group of "people who are fans of that work and also Tropers" is just few in number.

I don't think there's anything here that requires a specialised solution.

On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.
Ultimatum (Old as dirt)
2024-09-22 05:58:21

I'm sorry,what's the issue here?

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Octoya Since: Jul, 2014
2024-09-22 07:29:10

Yeah I'll be honest, this feels a little bit like it would ultimately boil down to nagging people to work on pages.

Can you be more specific about what you mean? What dedicated spaces do you have in mind that forums don't already provide?

Bugfragged Since: Nov, 2012
2024-09-22 12:43:40

If you really want to fill out the niche work pages, I think it would be better to look for whatever forums and Discord servers the fanbase uses and ask for help there instead of asking Tropers who are unfamiliar with the work, though you'll have to remind them to follow certain guidelines and know how to add examples with context. In other words, it would be better to introduce Tv Tropes to the fanbase rather than look for the small cross-section of Tropers who are already fans. Also, I think a lack of activity isn't necessarily a bad thing if you manage to add enough well-written trope examples by yourself anyways. If you can't think of anything to add or change, then either the work page is about as good as it'll get or you'll have to research additional tropes.

UzarNaimBer15 Since: Jan, 2020
2024-09-22 13:54:46

^ That's actually a good point. I haven't thought of that.

Eat your vege-tables (┳━┳) and drink sum milk
AgProv (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2024-09-25 06:15:24

I think I can see what you're saying, that for instance there are so many red links which at present go nowhere and that this can be frustrating and unsatisfactory. These might have been added to cover the bases - that is, to link to pages yet to be written, and which will "autopopulate" once the works page is up. The problem with actually writing those pages is that there's only so many hours in the day, and as Amonimus points out, the amount of work to be done is always going to be a lot more than the number of people (or amount of time) available to do it. I keep seeing red-linked references to a 1970's kids' TV show I quite loved and I've had it in mind to come back and write the Works page for it - but setting up a Works page isn't a five-minute edit by any means. You need to allocate time, and to be in the right frame of mind for that. TV tropes is an ongoing labour of love, perhaps, and work involved keeps expanding to be more than the number of tropers?

Elderly curmudgeon and awkward person. Professional old fart.
HoloMew151 Since: Jun, 2021
2024-09-25 17:45:03

What I will also add is that even if you have tropers who like something and feel it is underrepresented, there could be time committments preventing them from doing so. Personally, whilst I've made it a mini-goal of mine to blue link the links in the Pages Needing Summary section, university and work sap a lot of my time.

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